Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Afar Regional State has a population of 1,390,273,[2] consisting of 775,117 men and 615,156 women; urban inhabitants number 185,135 or 13.32% of the population, a further 409,123 or 29.43% were pastoralists. With an estimated area of 96,707 square kilometers, this region has an estimated density of 14.38 people per square kilometer. For the entire region 247,255 households were counted, which results in an average for the Region of 5.6 persons to a household, with urban households having on average 4 and rural households 6 people.

In the previous census, conducted in 1994, the region's population was reported to be 1,106,383 of whom 626,839 were men and 479,544 women; urban inhabitants were 85,879 or 7.76% of the population. The major ethnic compositions were the Afar (91.8%), Amhara (4.5%), Argobba (0.9%), Tigrayans (0.8%), Oromo (0.8%), Welayta (0.5%), and Hadiya (0.2%). In the urban areas, the Amhara ethnicity were the most numerous (42.5%), placing the Afar in second place (32.6%), followed by Tigrinnya (7.8%), Oromo (6.7%), Argobba (2.6%), and Welayta (2.2%). 95.6% of the population were Muslim, 3.9% Orthodox Christians, 0.4% Protestants, and 0.1% Catholics.[4]

Afar is predominantly (89.96%) spoken in the region and is the working language of the state. Other languages with a significant number of speakers in the state include Amharic (6.83%), Tigrinnya (1.06%), Argobba (0.79%), Wolaitigna (0.43%), and Oromifa (0.4%).

According to the CSA, as of 2004[update], 48.57% of the total population had access to safe drinking water, of whom 26.89% were rural inhabitants and 78.11% were urban.[5] Values for other reported common indicators of the standard of living for the Afar Regional State as of 2005[update] include the following: 67.3% of the inhabitants fall into the lowest wealth quintile; adult literacy for men is 27% and for women 15.6%; and the Regional infant mortality rate is 61 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, which is less than the nationwide average of 77; at least half of these deaths occurred in the infants’ first month of life.[6] On 20 April 2007, the Regional government announced that it had increased health coverage from 34% to 40%, the result of construction of 64 new health clinics, increasing the total for the Region to 111.[7]

In 2005, a giant rift was formed in just a few days.[8][9] The rift opened when the Dabbahu Volcano, situated in the north of the region, erupted. The crack forming is thought to be part of the process in which the Arabian Plate and African plates are moving apart. This new crack, 500 metres (1,640 ft) long, and 60 metres (197 ft) deep, opened when the lava from the erupting volcano flowed underground and cooled forming a 60 kilometres (37 mi) long, 8 metres (26 ft) wide dike within days.

The Afar Depression, a plate tectonic triple junction is found in the Afar Regional State. This geologic feature is one of earth's great active volcanic areas. Due to this volcanic activity the floor of the depression is composed of lava, mostly basalt. The continuous process of volcanism results in the occurrence of major minerals including potash, sulfur, salt, bentonite, and gypsum. In addition to these minerals, there are also promising geothermal energy sources and hot springs in different areas of the region. Most of the region's mineral potential are found in Dallol, Berhale and Afxeraworedas of Zone Two. Elidar, Dubti and Millee in Zone one and Gewane in Zone Three also have some mineral possibilities.

Afar is home to peculiar wild life, which notably include the African wild ass, Grevy's zebra, wild fox, wild cat, cheetah, and ostrich. These wild animals are found in the region's national parks. Because the region's tourism development is still in a poor state there are only two lodges in Awash National Park.

The CSA estimated in 2005 that farmers in the Afar Regional State had a total of 327,370 cattle (representing 0.84% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 196,390 sheep (1.13%), 483,780 goats (3.73%), 200 mules (0.14%), 12,270 asses (0.49%), 99,830 camels (21.85%), 38,320 poultry of all species (0.12%), and 810 beehives (less than 0.1%). The CSA estimated on the basis of a survey performed in December 2003 that nomadic inhabitants had 1,990,850 cattle (an 83.8% share of those animals in the Region that year), 2,303,250 sheep (90.6%), 3,960,510 goats (90%), 759,750 camels (85.9%), 175,180 asses (92.5%), 2960 mules (88.6%), and 900 horses (100%).[10]

As of 2012[update], the area has been increasingly unstable, as tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea remain high after the Eritrean-Ethiopian War of 1998-2000. On January 18, 2012 five foreign tourists were murdered while on holiday in the region.[11] The Ethiopian government has accused Eritrean gunmen of being responsible for the attack. Many governments around the world advise against traveling to the Afar Region, citing increasing security concerns.

On October 1, 2009, scientists reported that they had found a skeleton, which dates around 4.4 million years ago. Named Ardi, it is a form of the species Ardipithecus ramidus. The specimen is a distant cousin of the Australopithecus afarensis, Lucy's species.

In June 2010, the oldest direct evidence of stone tool manufacture was found in the Afar region and attributed to Australopithecus afarensis.[13][14]

In 2013, a graduate student from the Arizona State University discovered a hominid jawbone in the Ledi-Geraru region of Afar. Scientists estimated that the fossil dates back around 2.8 million years ago, which is 400,000 years before the next oldest hominid fossil remains.[15]

In 2015, a hominin jawbone and teeth was discovered in the Afar region. Scientists believe that the bones belonged to a previously undiscovered ancestor. The new species was named "Australopithecus deyiremeda", meaning "close relative" in the native Afar language. The species lived around 3.5 - 3.3 million years ago, about the same time period as other hominins such as Australopithecus afarensis. [16]

^In Affar Region eight rural kebeles in Elidar Wereda, bordering Eritrea was not covered by census. To get the total population size of Affar region, you should add the estimated population size (21,410) of eight rural kebeles of Elidar wereda.